Posts Tagged ‘caterer’

We had a blast planning this “wintery” White Party event! The Heaven Event Center was the perfect location for this chic and sexy affair and the guests partied late into the night.

It was an interesting challenge to balance a club look with a holiday look. The client asked for a cool, wintery feel; at the same time, we were designing a full-blown night club experience. I feel we did well with the array of linen selections from Kirby – white fur, prismatic, spandex and “dazzle”. We used both crystal and silver colored chiavaris from A Chair Affair for the seating, in addition to the white furniture and glow cubes.

Dancers performed throughout the evening – in themed costumes, of course!

… And a good time was had by all thanks to these featured professionals:

03

01 2012

The Preferred Vendor List

(c) fotonuova.com

In it’s simplest form, a Preferred Vendor List is a compilation of vendors and their contact information. Naturally, one would assume that the vendors featured on the PVL appear to have the endorsement of the preparer, and are intended to help the recipient (client, consumer, etc.) select qualified and reputable vendors. But is there more here than meets the eye?

What You Need to Know
The reality is that the actual purpose or genuine validity of the list may not always be clear to the recipient. Generally speaking, the caterer or venue where your event will be held will likely provide a Preferred Vendor List or an Approved Vendor List. Or you may receive one directly from your wedding or event planner (we hope you are fortunate enough to have one!). It’s also common for other vendors – such as a photographer or DJ – to present a client with a list of their preferred vendors.

5 W’s of Preferred Vendor Lists

Who: It’s imperative to understand who is on the list and why. It’s always a good idea to ask “How do you select the vendors on your list?” or “What is the criteria for becoming a preferred vendor?” and “Do you have personal experience with each of these vendors?”

What: Is the PVL a select list of tried and true vendors? Or is it something else? Try to assess the type of PVL. Some vendor lists are “pay to be included” (advertisers) while others are more akin to a list of “favorites”. In my opinion, the first type is the best. The second two list types have little if any value. Why? Because they are not based on specific criteria or qualifications. You can’t possibly know whether a vendor is on a list because they wrote a check, give or receive a referral fee, or have a cross referral agreement (I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine).

When: “How recently has this list been updated?” The answer may surprise you!

Where: Where are the vendors located? Some lists are based proximity (such as nearby to the venue)… But how convenient is it for you to meet with them? You may prefer to hire someone who is based closer to where you reside.

Why: If you are able to qualify the list as a good resource, then it’s wise to give strong consideration to the vendors listed. Why? Consider this example: My company prepares a custom list for each of our clients based on budget, personality, style and positive past experiences. I feel that it’s extremely important to tailor my PVL to the client because no two clients have the same needs, personality or style.

PROS and CONS of Preferred Vendor Lists

PRO: Vendors on a PVL may offer you a discount; you should always ask “Do you offer special pricing or exclusive promotions to couples getting married at Such-and-such Hotel?”

PRO: Vendors on a PVL typically have better knowledge of a property. They won’t get lost, they know where to go once they arrive, they know who to speak with if they need something (instead of coming to you with their issue) and what is expected of them. Hence, you won’t find a flip-flop wearing DJ, chronically-late officiate, or a beer-guzzling photographer on a PVL.

CON: Vendors on a PVL may not be the best bet for you IF the person who created the list is not in tune with what today’s couple’s are looking for. (This problem is more common if you are not in a metropolitan area.)

CON: Sometimes venues and hotels are reluctant to work with vendors they don’t know (and with good reason). You may need approval from the venue in order to bring in ‘outside’ vendors.

PRO: If the PVL is comprised of vendors who have built a relationship with the caterer, venue or planner, then you can rest assured that you are being referred to trusted professionals.

CON: If the PVL is comprised of paid advertisers, you certainly would want to know that up front, and that information should be disclosed to you.

.Quite an exciting weekend! I had the pleasure of attending the Grand Opening Showcase for the Hilton Orlando!

The inauguration of this sensational new property was a first class affair! It was such an honor to attend this special event and tour the property which boasts state of the art design, luxurious details and unique features tailored to appeal to business and recreational travelers alike. The 1400 room Hilton is the first hotel to be connected to the Orange County Convention Center via a sky-pedestrian bridge, so it’s guaranteed to attract a fair share of Orlando’s convention market. It’s stylish and inviting design is also sure to appeal to those planning social events and I foresee this venue becoming a very desirable location for nuptials and social celebrations!

Seafood Bar

The Hilton Team deserves the highest compliments for an evening that was beautifully orchestrated and by all accounts flawlessly executed! Executive Chef Thierry Meissonnier and his culinary team deserve the highest praise for the delicious, world class cuisine served throughout the evening – the seafood display in particular was breathtaking!

There were so many wonderful elements to the evening that I could go on and on, but time will not allow for that so here is a brief description of some of the highlights:

The Orlando ballroom was set for over 700 guests and featured floral and decor by Greenery Productions and linens by BBJ. Additional decor was provided by Room Service Furniture Rentals and Occasions by Shangrila (and I’m sure there are others that I may not be aware of).

Seafood Bar

Action Station

Upon entering the ballroom, guests enjoyed appetizers (lamb, duck, etc.) served from action stations and two tremendous seafood bars. This was the first time I’ve experienced this type of presentation for an appetizer course – it was as enjoyable as it was impressive!

Entertainment included Alizma -that fabulously talented violin trio you may have recently seen on America’s Got Talent 2009, and the hot Orlando band Skylyne 407 .

VIP’s in attendance included Mayor Richard Crotty.

Following dinner and keynote speakers who acknowledged the efforts of so many who were instrumental in bringing the Hilton Orlando to life, guests were led to the Southwest Lawn to view a spectacular fireworks display.

Two “After Parties” – one within a tent one the Southwest Lawn and the other in the Orange Ballroom – were in full swing from 9pm to midnight! Guests danced and enjoyed coffee, cocktails and desserts to their hearts content!

14

09 2009

I love, love, love this blog post by caterer Debi Brim; I’m so excited to be able to share it with our weditorial(tm) readers!

Do You REALLY Need a Wedding Planner? I say, “Heck, YEAH!”
by Debi Brim – Cater It Simple

In this era of cutting back and pinching pennies, it’s only natural for brides to look at what costs they can cut from the budget. And since most of us have been planning our wedding since we were, oh I don’t know …… FOUR!!!! …… we tend to think “oh, it’s just a wedding! Anyone can throw one of those together!” So it’s also natural to think a wedding planner is just an extra expense.

Want to know what I think? Well, I’m going to tell you anyway.

“In today’s economy” (a phrase I’ve come to hate more and more each day), it is more important than ever to have a wedding planner.

Planners are the ones who actually SAVE you money:

· They review your contracts to be sure that what you THINK you’re getting is what you’re actually getting.

· They have a huge Rolodex of wedding vendors and can match you up to the ones who can do what you want on the budget you have.

· When touring a venue, the bride is caught up in the emotion of the moment and is only seeing how pretty everything will look. The planner is looking at parking spaces, what condition the restrooms are and where they are located, how and where the bar and the caterer will set up, and are there enough outlets for the DJ and the caterer’s carving station?

· When a bride is talking to the caterer, the bride is in turmoil trying to decide between chicken and fish. The planner is asking what the server/guest ratio is and how much is the cost of each server?

Let me share some stories on how planners have helped brides.

– Bride hires wedding planner after selecting the venue but before signing the venue contract. When planner reviews the contract, she finds the bride has contracted for the use of the building ONLY. Bride thought she was getting tables, chairs, linens and lots of other things that the bride thought “were always included” at a reception. The planner saved the bride over $6000 on a bad contract. Well worth the $2000 the bride paid the planner.

– Bride decides to forego the professional planner and use her best friend, who after all, was a bridesmaid three times, so she knows ALL about planning weddings! The friend failed to take note of the facility’s $2000 fee for turning on the air conditioning and the newly married couple had to come up with this money at the very, VERY last minute, which was a severe cut into their honeymoon fund.

– The band hired by the bride was telling bride and planner where they would be setting up, what time they would be there and where the wives’ table would be. Planner corrected band member by showing him the already-decided place they would set up, giving him the actual time he would be there and asked him what he meant by a wives’ table? Band member says, “Oh the wives always come to all of our gigs.”

Planner told him this was not a “gig”, this was a wedding, the wives were not on the guest list, and there would be no wives table because there would be no wives. Band member began to argue the point. Planner fired the band and hired a professional DJ. Bride was relieved.

When times are good and people have good jobs, they don’t worry about costs as much. I’m not saying they don’t comparison shop, but they tend to buy bells and whistles instead of staying in a budget. It’s easy to plan a wedding when you’re not paying attention to every penny.

When times are tough, a couple just can’t afford last minute surprises. But they’ve never planned a party for 200+ people before and there are questions they just don’t know to ask. An event planner knows those questions and when he/she asks them, the bride saves money.

As a caterer, I’m always relieved to see a professional planner walk into the room. I know the details are going to be handled, things will run on schedule, and it will be a very pleasant event for everyone.

If you have a tight budget, you NEED a wedding planner. Today, more than ever, it’s the best investment you can make in your wedding.

Remember, it’s your wedding. You have ONE SHOT to get it right. Get a professional on your side who is going to be looking out for you on your very special day.

10

07 2009

Elisa Delgardio, CSEP, MBC

Planner | Designer | Speaker

I've been planning for as long as I can remember! When I was younger, I planned birthday parties for my siblings and surprise anniversary parties for my parents. I spent many years in the Hospitality industry and also studied Interior Design. I couldn’t have guessed that my creative and organizational talents would lead me to a career in event planning...seriously!

"To love what you do and feel that it matters - how could anything be more fun?"
- Katherine Graham

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